For Years, Online Racism Made Me Afraid to Interact With Americans. Now I'm Questioning How Much of It Was Real.

[u/PrometheusPa1]

As a South Asian immigrant, I’ve become increasingly withdrawn over the past few years because of the amount of anti-immigrant rhetoric and racism I’ve encountered online, especially on Reddit.

What’s strange is that my real-life experiences with Americans, including conservatives, have been overwhelmingly positive. People have generally been welcoming, friendly, and respectful.

Yet the constant negativity online started affecting me. I became hesitant to post on Reddit or even strike up conversations with strangers unless they spoke first. Not because anyone had necessarily mistreated me in person, but because I started fearing that the hostility I saw online reflected how people actually felt about immigrants like me.

The past few years have been emotionally exhausting. It’s unsettling when a country you’ve come to call home suddenly feels less welcoming, even if that feeling comes primarily from what you encounter online.

Recently, amid reports of disruptions to Russian bot networks and disinformation operations, I’ve noticed what seems like a decline in hateful rhetoric. I can’t say whether the two are connected, but it’s made me question how much of the hostility online is genuine versus artificially amplified.

I know racism exists, and I’m not suggesting bots are responsible for all of it. But social media can make a vocal minority appear much larger than it actually is.

So I’m genuinely curious: Has anti-immigrant sentiment among Americans increased as dramatically as Reddit makes it seem, or have bots, trolls, and coordinated campaigns distorted our perception of public opinion?

Because my experiences with Americans in real life tell a very different story from what I’ve been seeing online.

[u/untempered_fate]

This is why people say "touch grass". The internet continues to not be real life. You gotta go outside and talk to real people.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/untempered_fate]

I’m still hesitant to strike up conversations with strangers fearing hostility. I’d rather keep to myself and only speak when someone talks to me first.

[u/untempered_fate → u/PrometheusPa1]

You gotta understand your life could ve a lot better a different way.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/untempered_fate]

I know :(

[u/untempered_fate → u/PrometheusPa1]

Then pick a destination and start walking. Every step counts.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for the feedback, I have removed the repetitions. I wrote something original but had to had it rewritten to meet the 400 limit.

Anyway, you get the gist!

[u/Salty_Dog2917]

So you are an immigrant here and you have good interactions in real life, but not online? Welcome to everyone’s experience who gets on the internet. Also I hate to break it to you, but those probably aren’t Russian bots and most likely Indian and Pakistanis trolls. Take a look at the X update if you are wondering why I said those two countries. To answer your question it seems every western country’s citizens are wanting less/better immigrants.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/Salty_Dog2917]

Yes and that’s a fair point. The internet definitely brings out the worst in people due to anonymity especially on reddit.

I wouldn’t take that X update for a word either. Musk has every reason to keep engagement high using bots for his shareholders, and polarization drives engagement on social media. I’m also pretty convinced that bots from those data centers are spreading hate. I find it hard to believe that this post never got bombarded with nasty comments, especially after I mentioned being South Asian. Of course, no one can prove it.

There’s a difference between asking for a better immigration system and bullying immigrants online.

[u/Metal_Man_22]

I think most of the online racism is bots designed to try to cause division. Obviously there are some people who get a kick out of it and look for reactions, they are usually only confident enough online behind a keyboard. Get out in the world and have conversations, I think you’ll find most people just want to have a peaceful day. They don’t care about your race, if you are nice they will be the same back

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/Metal_Man_22]

I feel I've been spending too much time reading this stuff online (it is very engaging as intended) and letting it get to me.

[u/Metal_Man_22 → u/PrometheusPa1]

Like you said, it’s intended to be that way. You aren’t the only one being affected by it. I’d suggest setting social media down (particularly X and Threads seem to be the worst for these things) and finding some hobbies or exploring outdoors a bit.

[u/NomadLexicon]

Bots have been a major force boosting far right and far left messaging across the board. There are lots of actual racists in real life to be sure, but we’ve gotten all sorts of clues in recent years that bots are a huge part of it.

Before AI made it extremely easy to sound American, you could tell a lot of supposed Americans online were foreign because they slipped and used foreign syntax/grammar.

Russia in particular wants Americans to hate each other and other countries to hate the US & vice versa. Unfortunately, they’ve been pretty successful in sewing division.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/NomadLexicon]

I agree with you one hundred percent!

[u/blankblank60000]

*hidden post history
*racism “especially on Reddit”

Hmmm idk

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/blankblank60000]

Not sure what my post history has to do with anything. If I had it exposed, “they” would take extra effort to go through my posts and comments and attack me personally.

Guess, you haven’t been on the receiving end.

[u/Affectionate_End2269]

Completely depends on where your going in the US. Most of the time you will be fine but in certain areas you could deal with a bit of harassment 

[u/Jugaimo]

The internet is not real. I tell people in real life to not hung up over what idiots online say. I direct them to a window and point to the many, many real people all around us that aren’t caricatures the internet claims they are.

[u/stormpoppy]

Americans love people. They detest being told to love them because they are "special."

Most people don't care, one on one, what color you are, or who you sleep with, or whether you're hot or not. We just like nice people.

But tell us how we should feel - nope.

[u/PrometheusPa1 → u/stormpoppy]

I think you’re right, and that’s pretty much been my experience too. Most folks I’ve met don’t care where I’m from or what I look like. In fact, I do always get compliments on looks or something else I carry. I’ve always wondered if it’s because I live in a fairly diverse city in the Southeast and maybe those online bullies live in different parts I’ve never visited.

I don’t expect special treatment or for anyone to go out of their way to accept me. Just mutual respect.